The Path to Redemption
by Valondra Deva Phoenix
Summary: Kazuya Mishima is thrown in a state between life and death. With the help of his guardian protector Serena, he must choose either the path to destruction or the path to redeeming his soul.


"The Path to Redemption"  
  
  
  
When Kazuya came back to his senses, he was no longer on top of the rocky cliffs of the volcano but in a desert. 'Where am I?' he asked himself as he got up from the burning sands and dusted off the sand that clung to his clothing. For miles around there was nothing but sand; hot and dry sand. Kazuya ran his hands through his thick black mane as he struggled to remember how he ended up in this no man's land. "Only tell me that you still want me here.When you wander off out there. To those hills of dust and hard winds that blow.In that dry white ocean alone." a soft, melodious voice said to him.  
  
Coming to his senses once more, Kazuya could have sworn that he heard someone speaking to him. After surveying his surroundings, he realized there was no one there. 'I must hallucinating,' he said to himself as he began the laboring task of walking under the scorching heat of the mid-day desert sun.  
  
"Lost out in the desert.You are lost out in the desert," the voice called out to him again. Kazuya looked around again but saw no one. He walked along the sand dunes for while longer before he heard the voice again. "But to stand with you in the ring of fire.I'll forget the days gone by."  
  
"Who are you?" he shouted at the top of his lungs into the hot desert wind. "And why won't you leave me alone? Show yourself, whoever you are!" There was no response. Angered at hearing the voice but not seeing anyone, Kazuya half-walked, half-ran down the slope of the sand dune hoping to escape the haunting voice without a body.  
  
"I'll protect your body and guard your soul.From mirages in your sight."  
  
He was now fed up with this voice, this person whom he could not see. "If you're going to invade my mind and thoughts, you might as well show yourself." A few moments later, the skies began to darken as thunder and lighting flashed and rolled across the horizon. The wind began to blow a little harder as a bright light came down from the dark sky and landed several feet before him. The light then began to fade as a figure slowly emerged from it. He was unable to behold the being's face for two massive white wings covered its face. "Lost out in the desert.You are lost out in the desert," it said once again as it unfolded its wings. The angelic creature before him was a woman. She wore a white, sleeveless gown with a v- neckline and an asymmetrical hem that began six inches above her left knee and ended below her right ankle. Her skin was the color of honey and her long, thick flowing hair was as black as a raven's wing. And her eyes were deep turquoise blue. Kazuya thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life, far more beautiful than Jun Kazama.  
  
"Who-who are you?" he softly breathed as he took in the sight of this heavenly creature.  
  
"The one who has watched over you for so long. You know who I am, Kazuya, don't you remember me?" she asked him in the same haunting voice. "No, not really. Should I remember you?"  
  
"I was the one who kept you alive when your father threw you off that cliff, the one who gave you the strength to climb back up to the top. And I was the one who held you in my arms when you cried yourself to sleep at night after your mother died."  
  
Kazuya's lips parted slightly when he realized who this mysterious woman was; she was his guardian, his protector, the one he had forsaken for the evil entity that now resided within him. "Serena, "he softly whispered. " Where am I and why have you brought me to this forsaken place?"  
  
"You're in place somewhere between life and death, Kazuya. You were close to death by the time I came time I came to your aid. I had to bring you here to make you see the light."  
  
"What the heck are you talking about?" he asked angrily. "Why the h**l didn't you protect me when I needed you the most?"  
  
Serena gave turned away from him for it nearly broke her heart to face him, the one person she had cared the most about ever since the day he came into this world. "I was given orders by a higher power not to interfere with your destiny, Kazuya. Even though I wanted to protect you, I was bound by the orders of the one much higher than me," she said with her back still to him.  
  
Kazuya regarded what she had said for a moment as he closed his eyes. So it was destined for him to end up in this dry, lonely place. He sighed deeply as he thought about his last waking moments on earth. He and his father were fighting over an active volcano when a strange feeling came over him. Heihachi Mishima had delivered an uppercut, which sent him flying up in a hail of sparks. He remembered falling hard on his back and pain shooting to every joint and limb in his body before losing consciousness. When he came to, he was here. "Why have you brought me here?" he asked her once more.  
  
Slowly turning around to face him, Serena sighed deeply then said, "To help you redeem yourself, Kazuya. You have been given the chance to your world, to live your life to it natural end. But first, you must face your inner demons and the evil entity that now sleeps within your soul. If you do not face these two adversaries, you must stay in this place forever."  
  
"Stay here forever if I don't face my inner demons? Hah, you must be kidding, Serena."  
  
"I only speak the truth, Kazuya Mishima. I have tried numerous times throughout your life to help you redeem yourself, even presented opportunities for you to do so. In this place, not only are you at the mercy of the elements but also at the mercy of every living nightmare buried in the deep in the darkest depths of your mind and soul. The final choice is up to you, life or death. I cannot help you in this task but I will be there to guide you when you need me. For now, all I can do is show you the two fates that await you. Here, take my hand."  
  
Hesitantly, Kazuya reached out and took Serena's outstretched hand. Without warning, she flew at blinding speeds to the other side of time. She steadied him for he was a bit dazed from the flight when they reached the crossroads of fate. "Where are we?" Before them was a star filled sky with two silver paths; one going right and the other left.  
  
"This is the crossroads of fate, Kazuya. This will show you the two paths of life; one will lead you to life and the other to destruction. If you should choose the life path, you must face all the demons that haunt you and defeat the abomination that resides within you. If you choose the path of destruction, the evil within you will lead you to the fate of everlasting destruction. Which life do you wish to see first?"  
  
Kazuya took a deep breath as he stared at the two paths. "Let's go left."  
  
"Very well," Serena replied as she motioned for Kazuya to go ahead of her. As they stepped onto the path leading left, a bright light suddenly filled the midnight velvet sky as they were once again transported to another place in time.  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
The light of day nearly blinded Kazuya as he and Serena stood in the middle of the Mishima Compound gardens. "What kind of sick joke is this?" he asked her. "Why did you bring me back to this hellhole?"  
  
"Nothing is what it seems. Just wait and you will see." She then placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder to calm his fiery temperament. A few minutes later, the 'other Kazuya' emerged from the mansion with a young woman and a child of two in his arms. The young woman sat in a nearby chair as 'Kazuya' played with the child.  
  
"I always knew that you would make a good father."  
  
"You mean I-"  
  
"Yes, don't you think your son is beautiful?"  
  
"Yeah, he kind of looks like me. Where's Heihachi, as though I want to know where the bastard is?" His rude comment was soon met by a swift slap to the back of the head. "Ouch, what was that for?"  
  
"Watch your language, Kazuya," Serena replied as she brushed back a stray lock of hair from her eyes. "The last thing I need is to send you straight to hell without first showing you your 'other lives'. Heihachi had nearly beaten you to death when Lee interfered and took the brunt of the beating. By divine intervention, you and Lee escaped the mountain with your lives; afterwards, Heihachi vowed to find you and Lee and to end your lives once and for all. Lee took you into hiding until you fully recovered from your injuries. Meanwhile, Heihachi was assassinated on orders of a secret society he once belonged to, his death was ruled an unsolved homicide. By this time you and Lee had made peace."  
  
"Me and playboy made peace? Interesting, disturbing but interesting?"  
  
Serena's lovely face was temporarily darkened by a frown as she shook her head. 'Some things never change,' she thought as she looked at him. Kazuya seemed intrigued by the fact that he had a son. 'This might change his outlook on life.'  
  
"What happened after Lee and I made peace?"  
  
"You both came out of hiding and you claimed your right as heir to the Mishima Estate. You vowed to clean up the corruption and correct all the wrongs the Zaibatsu had inflicted upon the innocents of the world. No one believed you at first; but eventually, their views of you changed once you turned your vows into action. After cleaning up the Zaibatsu and correcting all your wrongs, everyone began to trust you as a man of your word. A few months after taking over the Zaibatsu, you met a woman who later became your wife then the mother of your son."  
  
The scene suddenly shifts back several years to the Tekken Zaibatsu. 'Kazuya' is in his office preparing for another meeting. Lee comes in, followed by a tall dark-haired woman in a powder blue suit. He shakes her hand and seems to lose himself in her soft gaze. He motions for Lee to leave them alone as he and woman sit down. She crosses her long legs as he tries his best not to stare. They talk for a while until she finally gets up to leave. After shaking her hand once more, he walks her to the door. Once again the scene changes; they're inside an expensive restaurant this time. 'Kazuya' seems a bit nervous as he's waiting for his dinner guest for he keeps adjusting his tie and checking his watch every five minutes. A minute later, the same woman comes over to where he is sitting and he stands up to greet her. She is dressed in a wine-colored, sleeves sheath that ends four inches above her knees and her black hair is gathered back into a loose, curly knot with loose strands framing her lovely face. They talk about anything and everything during dinner. Kazuya is amazed with the way his whole demeanor changes while he's with this mystery woman. Towards the end of dinner, 'Kazuya' leans over and places a soft kiss upon her full, soft lips. The scene then fades to black.  
  
"Whoa, what happens?" he asked Serena. "I demand to know how my date ended."  
  
Serena's cheeks turned red as she whispered, "You-you two ended up spending the night in each other's arms. Need I say more?"  
  
Kazuya's eyes widen a bit at the mention of a woman spending the night with him. "So that's how I meet my future wife?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Another scene finally comes into view as he reaches back for Serena's hand. He was unsure of what to expect next. The scene is of him in the dojo with a young man who appears to be no older than nineteen. 'Kazuya' manages to dodge the series of punches and kicks the young man throws at him. Serena slowly waved her hand before the scene and it freezes. She then allows him to examine the scene a little more closely. The young man beared a striking resemblance to Kazuya, only difference his eyes were covered shielded from view by thick ebony bangs. His build was also firmer than Kazuya's and he had a strange tattoo on his left arm.  
  
"I would tell you his name, but I would be violating several prime directives," Serena said as she walked up behind him and placed her hands upon his muscular shoulders. "Come, this is all I can show you for now."  
  
Kazuya found it difficult to tear his face away from that of the young man's. He bore the same fiery determination that he once had as a youth. He then turned to follow Serena but not before turning back to have one last look at his son. 'We will meet again one day, my son. At least, I hope we do.'  
  
After rejoining Serena, without a word, he took her hand and they were once again cast into the winds of time for the blinding journey back to crossroads of fate. All the while, Kazuya Mishima thought of the son who had yet to be borne to him.  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
When they reached the crossroads, Serena caught Kazuya as he fell back into her arms; the travel was beginning to wear him out. She slowly sank down to the ground with him in her arms as she cradled him in her arms. "We don't have to take the other path today," she gently whispered to him as she stroked his thick mane.  
  
"No, no, Serena," he said firmly. "I must know my other fate; for I need to decide which path to walk."  
  
"Rest first, my love," she whispered. "We will go soon enough but you must rest first." Kazuya tried in vain to fight the craving for sleep but it was not use. Soon, he was fast asleep in the arms of his angel.  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
"If your hope scatters like the dust across your tracks.I'll be the moon that shines on your path. The sun may blind our eyes; I'll pray the skies above.For snow to fall on the Sahara. If that's the only place where you can leave your doubts.I'll hold you up and be your way out. And if we burn away, I'll pray the skies above.For snow to fall on the Sahara." Kazuya's eyes slowly fluttered open as stared right into his guardian's turquoise colored eyes. He then realized that he had fallen asleep in her embrace, her wings shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. "We're back in the desert?" he softly asked her as he slowly reached up and touched her smooth cheek.  
  
"I'm afraid so. I've never had anyone fall asleep on this journey before. I brought you back here as a precaution."  
  
She placed her hand over his and held it to her face. For so long she had wanted to feel his hands upon her skin and now she was finally getting her wish, but she still had much work to do. "Serena, were you singing to me a moment ago? I could have sworn I heard someone singing."  
  
She smiled serenely at him as she gently touched his handsome face. "Yes I was. You were beginning to have a nightmare, so I sang to you to chase it away. I hope you didn't mind."  
  
"No, it's just that I remember my mother used to sing me to sleep when I was child. She was the only person who ever loved me for me."  
  
"I've always looked after you, Kazuya, even when your mother was alive. I love you but then again, there is no substitute for a mother's love."  
  
"You love me, Serena?" he asked surprisingly. "My father once told me that no one would ever love me, even if I was the weakest person on earth."  
  
"He is wrong for I have always loved you. No matter which fate you choose, I will always love you." She placed a soft kiss upon his forehead then smoothed back a few stray strands of his hair. Kazuya allowed himself to smile at her, something he had rarely done in life, for the calmness in her angelic eyes was most relaxing. He deftly traced the outline of her jaw before closing his eyes once again. "Do you still want to see your other fate, Kazuya?"  
  
"Yes," he murmured. "But I still need to rest." He had fallen back to sleep. Serena scolded herself for not telling Kazuya that the journey into the otherworld was both exhausting physically and emotionally. She held him a bit more securely and enclosed her wings over them for the sun had moved high into the noon position. A look of peace washed over his face as he slept but within his chest beat the heart of a tortured soul. He shifted a bit in his sleep but soon settled down as Serena began to rock him slowly back and forth.  
  
"Just a wish and I will cover your shoulders.With veils of silk and gold.When the shadows come and darken your heart.Leaving you with regrets so cold.Lost out in the desert."  
  
For the first time in all his life, a single tear rolled down Kazuya's cheek. He had indeed found some comfort in the arms of an angel.  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
By the time Kazuya awakened again, the sun was slowly beginning to set on the horizon. He immediately noticed that Serena's eyes were closed in either deep thought or sleep. A moment later, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Are you feeling better now?"  
  
"Yes, and thank you," he said as he touched her face. Serena then helped him stand up and brushed some of the sand from his blue button down shirt and black slacks. "Serena, did I imagine you saying that you loved me? Because I am almost certain that you said you did."  
  
"Yes I did, Kazuya. Every human on earth needs love; some need it a little more than others."  
  
"Oh," he whispered. "I'm ready to face my other fate, if you don't mind."  
  
"Very well," Serena sighed as she carefully flapped her wings to shake any unwanted sand from them. "Take my hand and we'll be on our way." He did so; soon, he and Serena were once again traveling through the barriers of time to his 'other' fate. The landscape of his 'other' fate was very different from the previous one; the landscape was barren.  
  
"What the h**l" he mumbled as he took in his surroundings. Serena stayed back as Kazuya ventured a little further to the edge of the desert like plain. "Where are we?"  
  
"This is Japan after the third World War, Kazuya. You created this landscape when you threw the world into chaos by causing a nuclear war. The devil took over your body and made earth his private hell." The scene slowly faded into black; a few moments later another scene comes into view. Kazuya and Serena were now inside 'his' office at the Tekken Zaibatsu headquarters. The 'other Kazuya' is staring out the window at the war-ravaged world outside. He turns around and a gasp escapes Kazuya's throat when he looks at his 'other' self. He was indeed the devil in the flesh. His eyes were red as blood, his skin had a purplish hue to it, and his hair was longer and wilder.  
  
"After the second tournament, the devil decided that he had had enough of playing second to you, therefore, he manifested himself and merged his personality with yours. For a while, no one suspected that you were possessed but soon it became apparent when he began taking over your body. Soon after, this is how you appeared to others."  
  
"Wh-what about my son?" Kazuya asked as he continued staring at his other self.  
  
"Your son was killed when a car bomb when off as he was walking by the parked vehicle. He was killed instantly; and this contributed to your transformation. The devil used it to his advantage to drive your thirst for revenge. You would have been fine had you not killed your father, which began the chain of events that led up to WWIII."  
  
Suddenly, Devil Kazuya began to laughed to himself at first but then it grew louder and louder until finally Kazuya hid behind Serena. "I know you are, Serena," he sinisterly hissed. "Come out, come out wherever you are. And bring the sacrificial lamb to me."  
  
Serena pushed Kazuya back as Devil Kazuya walked toward them. He then shot a laser beam in her direction, which made her visible in his 'altered' world. She fell to the floor as her body absorbed the powerful beam. "Where's my prize, Serena?" he hissed as he stood over her. He then bent down and lifted her up by her long, dark hair.  
  
"You'll never claim him," she whispered. "Love is stronger than death, and much more powerful than you."  
  
"Don't be a fool; just admit you've failed to redeem him. Hand him over to me and I will let you go back to your little cloud in the sky. I know you have him here with you and I want him, NOW!"  
  
"Never," she said as she summoned all her strength and sent him flying backwards with a fireball ray of white light. Once she was invisible again, she grabbed Kazuya's hand and swiftly flew into the winds of time to be carried back to the desert landscape. Kazuya was still dazed as to what had happened back in the other world. That was him back there; he was the devil in the flesh.  
  
Realizing what he had witnessed, Serena said, "I can't explain what happened back there, Kazuya. He wasn't supposed to know that we were there."  
  
"I can, Serena. He knows he lies sleeping within me in this world. But it didn't stop him from sensing his presence within me. I'm cursed forever with him."  
  
"What are you trying to say?"  
  
"I can't go back, I can't go back home. He'll only take over if I return to earth."  
  
"No, no Kazuya. You can defeat him. You can defeat the abomination that sleeps within your soul. All you need is to have faith in yourself."  
  
"Leave, Serena. Leave me alone in this barren place. For me, death is a welcomed release from this evil inside me."  
  
"Kazuya, I" he waved his hand at her then walked away. Tears stung her eyes as she watched him disappear into the desert night. With a resigned sigh, she unfolded her wings to their full span and flew away into the night. "Lost out in the desert.You are lost out in the desert." It was breaking her heart watching him give up so easily. She was in love with Kazuya Mishima and she was willing to risk everything in order to be with him. If only he would fight his inner demons to be with her.  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
Kazuya trudged up along the sand dunes of the barren place he was in as he thought about his fates. Life or death, were the two choices; and only one was his path to redemption. If he chose life, he would have to conquer his inner demons and defeat the evil within his soul. On the other hand, if he chose death, he would become the devil. Kazuya felt as though his head was swimming for so many thoughts were coursing through his troubled mind. 'Maybe Serena could help me,' he thought but soon remembered he had told her to leave. Looking up into the star filled sky, Kazuya silently hoped to see hovering above, but she wasn't there. After all the things she had done for him his entire life, he had the nerve to accuse her of not being there when he needed her the most. When in reality, she had been there all the time. She told him she loved him; she showed him his fates, and yet he chose to believe that she had never cared for him. Kazuya stopped in his tracks, dropped to his knees, and buried his face in his hands. For the first time in a in a long while, Kazuya did something he had suppressed for so long; he cried. What made his heart hurt even more was the fact he had forgotten to tell Serena that he loved her.  
  
He wanted to live again for he wanted to live the rest of his life to the fullest. And most importantly, Kazuya wanted to meet his son. 'I can teach him so much,' he thought, 'and I refuse to treat him as Heihachi treated me.' Finally, he got to his feet and brushed the sand from his slacks. Just as he had taken a few steps, a sharp gripping pain ripped through his chest. Kazuya knew who it was the one who wanted possession of his soul, he wanted Kazuya's attention and now he had it. "You dare cast me aside for that weakling you call your angel?" the vicious voice hissed through his mind. "Have you so soon forgotten that it was I who has kept you alive all these years?"  
  
Kazuya dropped back down to his knees as the pain within his chest increased. He tried to summon Serena but could not form her name upon his lips. As his hands pressed into the sand, a purplish oil-like liquid oozed from them before beginning to shape itself into his visitor. Devil stood over his bodily host still inflicting pain upon him. "She has made you weak, you fool. Never trust an angel for they will always make you weak of heart."  
  
"No," Kazuya grasped. "She has not made me weak. She has made me stronger."  
  
"Well, if you are so strong, why are writhing in pain at my feet?" the evil being asked him. "You belong to me, Kazuya Mishima. We have a bargain and I refuse to surrender you now. For in time, we are destined to be one."  
  
Kazuya trembled as the pain slowly decreased, but Devil kept coursing through his body to let him know who was in control. "No, no, I will defeat you. I want you out of my life and body forever."  
  
Devil raised his hand and sent Kazuya flying back several feet into the sand. "Fool, I wouldn't be denied my right. Submit to me now or there will be h**l to pay. Your choice, life or a painful death."  
  
As he slowly got up, Kazuya finally found the words he had been searching for: "Serena, help me."  
  
A moment later, the night sky filled with lighting as Serena appeared at his side, helping him to his feet. She enclosed her wings protectively around him as she faced Devil. "What have you done to him?" she asked her rival.  
  
"I was simply reminding him who was in control, Serena. There is nothing you can do for him right now, so you might as well leave."  
  
"No, Devil. If anyone is leaving, it will be you." Her eyes began glowing white as her anger towards Kazuya's evil grew. "Have forgotten that I have the power to destroy you?"  
  
"You never will, weakling," he hissed. "Unless he helps you, which I highly doubt he will do now considering his condition."  
  
Serena look at Kazuya then whispered, "Which fate have you chosen?"  
  
"I love you, Serena," he whispered weakly. "I want to go back and live my life with my son." She smiled faintly at him as she kissed his forehead.  
  
"Your wish has been granted." A bright, blinding light flashed around them as Devil tried in vain to grab a hold of Kazuya. When the light faded, they were gone.  
  
"No," Devil shouted into the night wind. "I will not be denied!"  
  
Serena flew with all her might toward the crossroads of fate. It was time to send Kazuya home. After sending him down the path of life, Serena held back her tears until he was out of sight. For he finally had told her that he loved her. 'I will see you again, Kazuya Mishima, but not yet.'  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
What ravages a spirit, conjures this temptuous rage. Created you a monster, broken by the rules of love.And fate has led you through it, you do what you have to do. And fate has led you through, you do what you have to do.  
  
--Sarah McLachlan  
  
  
  
Pain and heat were the first sensations Kazuya felt when he finally opened his eyes to the world around him. He was still on the volcano but Heihachi was nowhere in sight; that was until he felt a kick to his ribs. "Get up, boy," the old man growled at him. Slowly, Kazuya rolled onto his knees trying to catch his breath. How long had he been lying there?  
  
Heihachi came after him once more, charging a Geta stomp. Kazuya rolled out of the way just in time. "I won't be denied the opportunity to end your miserable existence, Kazuya" Heihachi went on. "I should have ended your life years ago." He then picked him up by his neck and held him over the flowing lava of the volcano. "Any last words before you die?"  
  
Kazuya was struggling to breathe as his father's death grip tighten about his neck. Closing his eyes, he whispered the words that would haunt his father forever, "Love is stronger than death."  
  
"Goodbye, my son." But he never felt the intense heat of the lava. Opening his eyes, he realized that he was on the ground and Heihachi was flying backwards into the side of the cliff as though he had been struck by an invisible force. After grasping for breathe, Kazuya felt a pair of gently hands touch his back, it was Serena.  
  
"Are you alright, my love?" she whispered to him as she rubbed his scratched up back.  
  
"Fine. You came back?"  
  
"Yes, there is one last task you must accomplish before you are able to live your life to its natural end; defeat the evil inside your soul." As if on cue, the sky darken as red lighting bolts flickered and flashed across the sky. "He's here." A moment later, Devil Kazuya stood before them in the flesh.  
  
"You're still trying to protect him from me, Serena," he said to her. "And just look at him, he's weak and pathetic no thanks to you."  
  
"I will not allow you to repossess his soul," she said. "You will have to go through me first before I would ever allow that to happen."  
  
"Very well," he replied and immediately shot a laser beam through her. Serena moaned for the beam was slowly draining her of her strength. Summoning what was left of her strength, she countered with her own laser beam attack, which reversed the path of his beam and sent back into the third eye. Devil howled as the beam infiltrated his third eye, causing him to crumple to the ground.  
  
"Kazuya, this fight is yours to win or lose. There is only so much I can do, you must defeat him."  
  
"But what if", but she waved her hand and shook her head.  
  
"Have a little faith in yourself. I'll be here to assist you but I can't fight the battle for you. Remember, love conquers all including evil."  
  
By the time Kazuya got to his feet, Devil had recovered from the blow dealt to him by Serena. "So you're determined to fight me, after all I have done for you. Prepare to have another within that weak heart of yours, Kazuya."  
  
Kazuya felt himself flying backwards as Devil hit him with the infamous Crouch Dash. The move knocked him senseless for several moments. Devil grinned sadistically at him as crimson lighting flickered in his eyes; it was time to put an end to this situation. Meanwhile, Serena had summoned for a portal that led to everlasting darkness; this time there would be no escape for the wicked abomination. Distracted by the strange sensation of something ominous, Devil turned around and came face to face with Serena and the portal. "Cute but not very smart of you," he mockingly said to her. "Only one of us is going into that portal, and it will not be me."  
  
Seeing that Devil was distracted, Kazuya took advantage of the lapse in his concentration to hit Devil with a roundhouse kick that sent the being forward several feet, drawing his attention away from her. "You dare hit me?" he asked turning to face Kazuya.  
  
"Yes," Kazuya answered, lighting swirling around his fist. He had a plan but needed a little help from his guardian. As though she had read his thoughts, Serena nodded as if to say 'do it.' Devil once more went after him with the Crouch Dash and Kazuya knocked him sky high with the Lighting Screw Uppercut then Serena followed up with Heaven's Door. Kazuya waited until Devil got up then delivered the finishing blow: a roundhouse to a triple spin kick. However, the move only pushed him closer to the portal. Serena went behind Kazuya and pressed her fingers to his temples, melding her mind to his. Her eyes began to glow white then Kazuya's eyes began glowing as well. The abomination had the strangest look in his eyes when he realized what was about to happen, a moment later he was sent flying into the portal by a laser beam attack called Heaven Sent. Devil tried to hold onto the sides of the portal to keep himself from being sucked in, but it was in vain. The gravity pull of the portal won and he was lost forever within the void of eternal darkness.  
  
Serena then released Kazuya and caught him as he fell lifeless into her arms. She had to wipe his memory of the events that had transpired, even though she wanted him to remember her. She cradled him in her arms for one last time as she waited for Lee to come claim his brother's broken body.  
  
  
  
???  
  
  
  
One year later ~  
  
Angels never came down. There's no one here they want to hang around. But if they knew.If they knew you at all. Then one by one the angels.Angels would fall.  
  
--Melissa Etheridge  
  
  
  
Kazuya stood at the window of his office window, looking down at the bustling Tokyo traffic. He was now the president and CEO of the Mishima Financial Empire, a title he regained after his father's mysterious murder. The events of the past year were still a bit fuzz to him but thankfully, Lee was there to clear up any inconsistencies in his memory. Kazuya still found it amusing that he and Lee managed to make peace after years of sibling strive and rivalry. A knock on the door jarred him from his thoughts as he turned around and saw Lee. "Um, Ms. Haven is here to see, Mishima-sama," Lee said to his brother.  
  
"Send her in," he replied as he walked back over to his desk. A minute later, a tall dark-haired young woman entered his office behind Lee. Kazuya was in shock at the woman's appearance for she looked like someone he once knew.  
  
Lee cleared his throat in order to remind Kazuya of his manners. He came around his desk and extended his hand to her. She took it and shook it firmly. "Serena Haven," she said to him.  
  
"Kazuya Mishima," he stuttered. "Lee, you are excused."  
  
Lee smiled and shook his head at his older brother for this was the first time he had ever seen Kazuya lost his cool over a woman. After he was gone, Kazuya invited Serena to sit on the black leather sofa on the other side of the room. He noticed that she wore a powder blue suit as well; there was definitely something about her that familiar. While she spoke of the planned merger of Mishima Financial with Whittaker Mutual, his mind wandered back to that blurry void in his mind. He had once seen someone who looked like her a long time ago but her name did not come to mind.  
  
"Mishima-sama, are you alright?" she asked him when she noticed the dream- like look in his eyes.  
  
"I am fine. Please, call me Kazuya," he softly said to her.  
  
She smiled shyly at him and asked, "Did you even hear a word I said?"  
  
He smiled in return and answered, "Every word, Serena." When his eyes finally met hers, he immediately recognized the woman at his side as his guardian. "Serena, is that you?"  
  
Serena's cheeks turned red upon her cover being blown. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I remember who you are now. You're my guardian angel Serena, the one person who has watched over me for so long." "I believe you must have me mistaken for someone else," Serena said as she got up from the sofa. "I'd better leave."  
  
Grabbing her wrist, Kazuya pulled her back down. "There is only one person who has turquoise blue eyes and that is you. Drop the masquerade, Serena, I know who you are."  
  
Sighing heavily, she looked down at the carpeted floor. "There's no fooling you, Kazuya Mishima. How did you know?"  
  
"Your name. Who else would figure out that when rearranging the letters, 'Haven' spells 'Heaven'?"  
  
"Busted."  
  
"Um-mm," he mumbled as he softly brushed her cheek with his fingertips. He slid a little closer to her and wrapped his arms about her slim waist. "But I still love you just the same."  
  
"Being human is more difficult than I thought."  
  
"Serena, I need you to answer a question for me."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Why? Why did you give up everything for me?"  
  
Tears began to well up in her eyes as she softly answered, "Because I love you so much. I would rather die a mortal than to live an eternity without ever knowing you. Helping you find the path to redemption was only part of it."  
  
"How were you so sure that I would choose life?"  
  
"Honestly, I didn't know which path you would choose. The only thing I was sure of was my love for you. I always knew that there was some good left in you. Look at you now, Kazuya, you have come a long way over the past year. You cleaned up the Zaibatsu, ended the corruption that penetrated every part of it, and now you're slowly winning back the trust of others. You have made me very proud of you."  
  
Kazuya looked down for tears were forming in his eyes. After he wrapped his arm about her shoulders, Serena closed her eyes and slightly leaned back her head as she and Kazuya shared their first tender kiss. They had indeed found their own paths to redemption; he found his life and she found the love of a lifetime. 


End file.
